What to Do in La Grande Oregon With Kids
What's grand well-nigh La Grande? The scenery, for starters. About midway between Pendleton and Bakery City on Interstate 84, this friendly town is nestled betwixt the purple Blue and Wallowa Mountain ranges, forth the ancestral home of the Nez Perce people. It's also home to Eastern Oregon University and a vibrant arts and outdoors scene — withal tucked away so it still feels like a secret. Here'southward how to explore La Grande in a weekend.
Eat like a local
Quench your thirst in a historic firehouse.That'southward right — atSide A Brewing you can enjoy your Oregon Fog (hop-heavy hazy IPA) and grass-fed beef burger while brushing up on local burn history. The downtown brewery takes up part of the historic La Grande Firehouse, along with a vintage fire truck, historical photos and artifacts that are role of the Eastern Oregon Fire Museum . The owners are passionate about sourcing peak-quality ingredients from as shut past as possible, including Hines Meat Co. and Kneads Bakery in La Grande; 6 Ranch in Enterprise; and Jen's Garden and Sweetness Wife Baking in Baker City.
Find more quintessential Eastern Oregon fare within walking distance. At Ten Depot omnivores please in locally sourced meats, while vegans love the lentil pecan burger. Head to the Liberty Theatre Buffet for keen java and food to-get. Dogs and hungry book lovers are welcome at JaxDog Café & Books. Other noteworthy eateries includeLocal Harvest,Aureate Crown and Yia Yia Nikki's, to name a few.
Play outside
Just down the street from the Liberty Theatre Buffet is Blue Mount Outfitters , a one-stop shop for adventure — or equally the owners like to say, the place to help y'all "practice absurd stuff in Eastern Oregon." More than simply new and used gear (clothing, shoes, camping and climbing equipment and more than) for sale, they've got maps of the area; a borrowing library of books virtually local trails, hot springs and other attractions; and U.South. Woods Service recreation passes for buy for nearby forest areas and trails. M ountain and river lovers know that La Grande is an ideal basecamp to big adventures in the Blue Mountain Scenic Corridor and Country Park, Anthony Lakes,Wallowa Mountains and Hawkeye Cap Wilderness and Hells Canyon National Recreation Surface area .
Outdoor adventure is close to dwelling house too. Hop onto the Grande Bout Scenic Bikeway from La Grande. Simply two miles due north of town, Mt. Emily Recreation Surface area (MERA) is ideal for almost every blazon of on-the-ground fun — miles of singletrack and double-rail for mountain bikers; trails for hikers, equestrians and wildflower photographers; dedicated routes for ATV and ORV use; plus cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails in winter.Spring Mount Climbing Expanse is a climber'south paradise, with half- to multi-pitch routes, high elevation and shady areas for sunny days, secluded crags and unbeatable vistas. Along the Grande Ronde River, Hilgard Junction State Park offers camping and rafting access. To the due south, Morgan Lake is a serene threescore-acre lake ripe for line-fishing, stocked annually with rainbow trout (no motorboats immune). VisitLadd Marsh Wildlife Area in bound for the all-time wildlife viewing, timed perfectly with an annual bird festival.
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Meet the sights
Block out time to drive the Grande Tour Route , a scenic eighty-mile loop from La Grande to the fiddling towns of Cove, Union, Medical Springs and back. It passes the iconic Hot Lake Springs , eight miles southeast of downtown La Grande, where you tin can take a mineral soak, tour the bronze casting facility, learn about the native culture dating dorsum to the 1800s and fifty-fifty stay at the The Order at Hot Lake Springs , with access to special soaking tubs. Afterwards consider a detour to the Grande Ronde Subcontract Trail for fresh produce and backside-the-scenes tours (call ahead).
Pack a picnic for a journey to the Oregon Trail Interpretive Park at Blue Mountain Crossing , just outside of downtown La Grande, where you tin can walk through Ponderosa pines on miles of paved trails next to wagon ruts that are some of the near well-preserved remnants of the Oregon Trail.
Enjoy the arts
Did y'all known La Grande is a haven for the arts? It's featured on the Northeast Oregon Arts Trail for good reason. The Grande Ronde Symphony Orchestrais the oldest continuously running community orchestra in Oregon, dating dorsum to the 1940s. Information technology's a collaboration with Eastern Oregon University students and musicians, who rehearse and perform orchestra, chamber series and symphonic concerts for the public year-round. EOU students also have the stage at the McKenzie Theatre; while La Grande Shakespeare Co. brings the bard to Eastern Oregon. Every Oct, downtown La Grande is abuzz for the Eastern Oregon Motion-picture show Festival.
For visual arts, the Art Center East downtown is one of several downtown spaces that brand for lovely gift shopping. The vibrant gallery hosts costless exhibits and community events that showcase artists from Northeastern Oregon.
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Source: https://traveloregon.com/things-to-do/trip-ideas/favorite-trips/grand-weekend-la-grande/